Short answer: Quick answer: open with the target role, the employer problem, and one proof point. Avoid broad excitement, company flattery, or a paragraph that could fit any application.

Choose the opening from the evidence you actually have

Use the role-signal route when the job description names a clear priority and your resume proves it. Use a company-specific reason only when a public product, customer, mission, or operating detail genuinely connects to your work. Use referral or application context only when the person, event, or conversation is real and appropriate to mention.

Three opening routes, each with proof attached

Role signal: connect one JD priority to one result or work sample. Company reason: cite the specific public detail and explain the relevant pattern in your experience. Referral or context: name the real connection, with permission when needed, then move quickly to role fit. If a route has no source, do not use it.

Check the source and boundary before sending

For every opening claim, identify its source: the job post, resume or project notes, a current company page, or a permissioned referral. Remove brackets, guessed names, invented praise, private conversation details, and claims the rest of the letter cannot support.

Prompt

Write opening paragraphs for [role] using only these inputs: [JD signal], [resume or project proof], [verified company-specific reason, if any], and [permissioned referral or application context, if any]. Produce one role-signal option, one company-reason option only if its source exists, and one referral/context option only if it is real and appropriate to mention. Mark missing inputs instead of inventing names, motivation, company facts, metrics, tools, or responsibilities.

FAQ

How long should an opening paragraph be?

Two to four sentences is usually enough. Choose one route and one proof point instead of trying to summarize the whole resume.

Should I start with why I love the company?

Only when you can name a specific, current, verifiable reason and connect it to your evidence. Otherwise, lead with the role signal.

Can I mention a referral in the opening?

Yes, when the referral is real, the person is comfortable being named, and the context helps explain fit. If any of those conditions is missing, omit the name and use a role-signal opening.